Licensed Therapist | Speaker | Author | Advocate
Founder, Healing in High Heels™
Dr. Teresa L. Quarker Smith is a licensed therapist, behavioral health professional, speaker, author, and advocate with more than 25 years of experience in the mental and behavioral health field.
Licensed to practice in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina, Dr. Smith has built a career that extends across private practice, behavioral health leadership, correctional and forensic settings, education, professional training, advocacy, and community service.
Her professional journey has given her the opportunity to work with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and circumstances-from individuals navigating everyday emotional challenges and major life transitions to those experiencing trauma, complex behavioral health concerns, and involvement with the criminal justice system.
Clinical & Professional Experience
Dr. Smith’s professional background includes extensive experience within correctional and forensic behavioral health environments.
She previously served as Director of Behavioral Healthcare for the Alabama Department of Corrections, where her work included providing behavioral health leadership within a complex correctional environment and working with incarcerated populations, including individuals housed on death row.
Her correctional and forensic background has provided her with a distinctive understanding of the intersection between mental health, trauma, behavior, accountability, rehabilitation, institutional systems, and the legal process.
Today, Dr. Smith brings that experience into her private practice, including her work with individuals and families navigating court involvement and her growing consultation work with attorneys and other professionals.
At the same time, traditional psychotherapy remains at the heart of her practice. Dr. Smith works with clients experiencing anxiety, trauma, grief, burnout, relationship concerns, women’s emotional wellness concerns, and significant life transitions.
Her clinical style combines professional expertise with authenticity, compassion, accountability, and practical strategies for meaningful change.
Education
Dr. Smith’s educational background includes studies in social science education, psychology and human services, counseling and psychology, and advanced counseling studies.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Human Services from Troy University, followed by a Master of Science in Counseling and Psychology from the University of West Alabama.
She later earned her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counseling Studies from Capella University in 2010.
Her multidisciplinary educational background, combined with decades of clinical experience, continues to inform her approach to behavioral health, leadership, communication, training, and advocacy.
Speaker & Trainer
Beyond the therapy room, Dr. Smith is an experienced speaker and trainer who brings clinical expertise, real-world experience, authenticity, and engaging communication to audiences.
Her presentations and trainings address topics including mental health and emotional wellness, trauma-informed care, communication, leadership, burnout, resilience, women’s empowerment, grief and loss, and personal growth.
She has presented for universities, professional organizations, community organizations, churches, women’s organizations, and other groups seeking meaningful conversations and practical strategies for growth.
Author
Dr. Smith is the author of The Voices I Heard While Talking to Myself, originally published in 2010.
Through her writing, Dr. Smith explores themes of perseverance, healing, self-discovery, personal growth, and the experiences that shape who we become.
Healing in High Heels™
Dr. Smith is the Founder of Healing in High Heels™, an initiative centered on women’s healing, wellness, confidence, wholeness, and personal growth.
Through carefully designed experiences, workshops, retreats, and community initiatives, Healing in High Heels™ creates opportunities for women to reconnect with themselves, address what they have been carrying, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
Leadership & Community Service
Dr. Smith believes that professional success carries a responsibility to serve.
She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Leadership Development Committee and Co-Chair of the Ethics Committee for the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. – Pensacola Chapter.
She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, having been a member since 2001.
Her professional and community work reflects a longstanding commitment to mental health, leadership, education, advocacy, service, and creating opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive.
More Than a Title
While Dr. Smith’s credentials and professional experiences have shaped her career, her work has always centered on people.
Whether sitting across from a therapy client, consulting around a court-involved case, speaking before an audience, training professionals, or serving her community, her goal remains the same: to bring experience, compassion, integrity, and meaningful support to the people she has the opportunity to serve.
Licensed in Alabama | Georgia | Florida | North Carolina
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